Dahlia plant named ‘HDBic34’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘HDBic34’, characterized by its compact, mounding and dense plant habit; freely basal branching habit; dark-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescence form; large inflorescences with red and yellow bi-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Dahlia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HDBic34’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘HDBic34’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Lisse, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact container Dahlia plants with dark-colored leaves, large inflorescences and good postproduction longevity.

The new Dahlia plant originated from an open-pollination in 2009 of a proprietary seedling selection of Dahlia hybrida identified as code number VD5-272, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia hybrida as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Lisse, The Netherlands in 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by stem cuttings since the spring of 2011 in a controlled greenhouse environment in Lisse, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘HDBic34’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘HDBic34’ as a new and distinct Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding and dense plant habit.     -   2. Freely basal branching habit.     -   3. Dark-colored leaves.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Daisy-type inflorescence form.     -   6. Large inflorescences with red and yellow bi-colored ray         florets.     -   7. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia are denser than and not as open as         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have brownish red and pale creamy white bi-colored ray         florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of the Dahlia hybrida ‘HDRF155’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,300. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lisse, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed from plants of ‘HDRF155’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia were taller than plants of         ‘HDRF155’.     -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia were more freely branching than         plants of ‘HDRF155’.     -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia had thicker stems than plants of         ‘HDRF155’.     -   4. Plants of the new Dahlia flowered two days earlier than         plants of ‘HDRF155’.     -   5. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘HDRF155’ differed in ray color         as plants of ‘HDRF155’ had red and orange bi-colored ray         florets.     -   6. Plants of the new Dahlia had longer peduncles than plants of         ‘HDRF155’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dahlia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dahlia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘HDBic34’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘HDBic34’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the late summer and early autumn in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Lisse, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 29° C. and night temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 19° C. Plants were pinched one time about three weeks after planting. Plants were four months old when the photographs were taken and three months old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida ‘HDBic34’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Dahlia hybrida identified as code number VD5-272, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative stem cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 13 days at soil             temperatures about 15° C. and air temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at soil             temperatures about 15° C. and air temperatures about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 20 days             at soil temperatures about 15° C. and air temperatures about             22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 days             at soil temperatures about 15° C. and air temperatures about             23° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; dense.         -   Tubers.—Length: About 16 cm. Diameter: About 14 cm. Texture:             Corky. Color: Close to 199B. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit;             appropriate for 16-cm to 18-cm containers; inverted             triangular plant form; freely basal branching with about             eight primary lateral branches developing per plant; dense             and bushy appearance; inflorescences held above the foliar             plane on strong peduncles; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 2 cm.             Internode length: About 6 cm to 12 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 20° from             vertical. Color: Close to 146A tinged with close to 200A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple or compound with three or five             leaflets per leaf.         -   Leaf length, simple leaves.—About 7 cm.         -   Leaf width, simple leaves.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Leaf length, compound leaves with three leaflets.—About 18             cm.         -   Leaf width, compound leaves with three leaflets.—About 13             cm.         -   Leaf length, compound leaves with five leaflets.—About 23             cm.         -   Leaf width, compound leaves with five leaflets.—About 11 cm.         -   Shape, simple leaves or leaflets.—Ovate.         -   Apex, simple leaves or leaflets.—Acuminate.         -   Base, simple leaves or leaflets.—Attenuate.         -   Margin, simple leaves or leaflets.—Serrate; sinuses             divergent.         -   Venation pattern, simple leaves or leaflets.—Pinnate,             reticulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces, simple leaves or             leaflets.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves or leaflets,             upper surface: Close to 147A; leaves and leaflets that are             exposed to higher light levels (upper and outermost leaves             and leaflets) are heavily tinged with close to 200B;             venation, close to 184B. Developing and fully expanded             leaves or leaflets, lower surface: Darker than 191A; color             becoming closer to 191A with development; venation, close to             152B.         -   Petioles.—Length, simple leaves: About 1 cm. Length,             compound leaves with three leaflets: About 4 cm. Length,             compound leaves with five leaflets: About 7 cm. Diameter,             simple leaves or leaflets: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces, simple leaves or leaflets: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, simple leaves or leaflets: Upper surface: Close to             184B. Lower surface: Close to 152B; outermost leaves and             leaflets, close to 174B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and flowering habit.—Daisy-type inflorescences             with ray and disc florets developing acropetally on a             receptacle; inflorescences positioned above and beyond the             foliar plane on strong peduncles; inflorescences face             upright to outwardly; freely flowering habit with typically             about 40 inflorescences developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—Early flowering habit; plants begin             flowering about 65 days after planting; flowering continuous             during the summer and autumn in The Netherlands.         -   Post-production longevity.—Good postproduction longevity;             inflorescences maintain good substance for about 16 days on             the plant and for about five days as a cut flower;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About             1.7 cm. Shape: Oblate. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Close to 200B.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Disc diameter.—About 2 cm.         -   Receptacle height.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Receptacle diameter.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Receptacle color.—Darker than 187A.         -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About             eight arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 4.9 cm.             Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire, Aspect: Initially upright to             roughly perpendicular to the peduncle. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 46A; towards the apex,             close to 17A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 46A;             towards the apex, close to 161A; along the veins, close to             161A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 45A; towards the             apex, close to 14A; color does not fade with development.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 44A; towards the apex,             close to 20A; color does not fade with development.         -   Disc florets.—Number of disc florets per inflorescence:             About 100. Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Tubular; apex dentate. Aspect: Mostly upright.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature: Apex: Close to             200A. Mid-section: Close to 175A. Base: Close to 151A.             Color, mature: Apex: Close to 21A. Mid-section: Close to             175A. Base: Close to 21A.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About five or six             arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width:             About 4 mm. Shape: Ovate to lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 200A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 23 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 14 cm. Length, seventh peduncle:             About 8 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:             Mostly erect to 20° from vertical. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 200A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium, present on disc florets             only: Quantity per disc floret: Five. Filament length: About             4 mm. Filament color: Close to 3B. Anther length: About             2 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 15A.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 20B.             Gynoecium, present on ray and disc florets: Quantity per             floret: One. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma shape:             Lanceolate. Stigma color: Close to 12C. Style length: About             5 mm. Style color: Close to 150B. Ovary color: Close to             150C. Fruits: Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 200A. Seeds:             Quantity per fruit: About 25. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter:             About 0.8 mm. Color: Close to 187A. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dahlia have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from about 0° C. to about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘HDBic34’ as illustrated and described. 